2.69/4.00

GEOL 101

Sophomore
N/A
General Ed
Mar 2002

As I write this, I am in the middle of studying for a final which is looking impossible. The sheer amount of items on the study guide is overwhelming: forty eight questions, plus a review of the midterm. I feel bad to rip on Professor Garcia. He's a genuine and decent guy, and he seems to love geology. His eyes light up all the time during lectures, as if he's reliving field expeditions that he's gone on, every time he conducts class. Still, I've yet to see his love of the subject parlay into effective teaching. Most of my class did shitty on the midterm, and I'm sure that I'm going to see a lot of long faces tomorrow morning. Part of Professor Garcia's problem lies in that he just kind of throws everything out there. His lectures are pretty one-dimensional and monotonous. He doesn't do the greatest job of engaging the class. He certainly doesn't seem to grasp that not everyone will have the love or understanding of geology that he does, right off the bat. I'm sure that Professor Garcia will be a great teacher in a few years. Still, judging on the all-nighter that I'm about to pull in hopes of getting a C-, I can't advocate that anyone take this class.

Freshman
N/A
General Ed
Mar 2002

I took this class as a GE, thinking it would be less challenging than the other life science classes. Boy was I wrong! This was the most difficult class I have taken thus far, mostly because of the professors teaching style. If you can follow sporadically, unorganized lectures and have a good geology background than you'll be okay, if you're an overall good student who needs actual teaching to learn the material~ do not take this class!!! Professor Garcia doesn't follow the book, presents every minute detail pertaining to the subject, and gives the HARDEST tests based solely on lecutre material. I just wish there had been ratings for him before I enrolled in this class!

Freshman
C
General Ed
Sep 2016

Good professor overall. He could present info better but he's extremely enthusiastic about geology and is willing to go the extra mile to make sure you understand the material.

GEOG 102

Freshman
A
General Ed
Mar 2002

Ok, it's true that he presents a ton of material during each lecture. Sometimes I felt very overwhelmed during class. HOWEVER, all you have to do is study the outline he gives you for the midterm and final and you're set. Also, go into an office hour or two and he'll look out for you the rest of the quarter. He IS very passionate, which is probobly why he gets going so fast sometimes. Overall he's a good teacher, i recomend him.

Sophomore
A
General Ed
Dec 2010

He is really passionate about geology and you can tell. He take the time to help you out and answer questions and wants to have everyone understand what he is talking about. Do the extra credit it will add 5% to your midterm score and they are really easy to do. Go to lecture, its where he pulls all the material for the tests, I only used the book to help clarify certain points and there are some parts he wants you to read, but very few. Overall I really enjoyed the class and learned a lot from it.

Sophomore
B
Elective
Jun 2013

Contrary to many posts, Garcia is an excellent professor. Never have met someone with so much passion for the subject they teach. Sure the lectures are a little dry, but he tries to make it as interesting as he can. He provides easy printer friendly lecture notes that match power points exactly. Weekly “pop-quizzes” but provides study guides for them, which if you spend 15 minutes before class studying the study guide easy A on all quizzes. Also provides study guides for mid-terms/finals. Easy extra credit (take a picture near a certain rock) that gives you 5% on each midterm. Covers a huge amount of material. NO TEXTBOOK NEEDED. Highly recommend taking this professor and class. Put in the needed study time and easily pass the class and learn semi-interesting material on why the earth looks/acts how it does.

GEOL 102

Junior
N/A
General Ed
Mar 2002

For the love of God, do not take this class! The guy is spastic and cannot teach worth the life of him! Take anyone but him! Save your GPA!!

Junior
N/A
Elective
Mar 2002

where to begin......tony is a really nice guy. you can tell he truly loves what he is talking about, however, it is hard sometimes to figure out what it IS he's talking about. if you want to take this class, i suggest you wait a few more quarters because he is still getting his feet on the ground as a teacher. the tests are still a nightmare at this point because there is so much information you are required to know. i think calling this course "introduction to geology" is not quite enough because of how specific he gets on so many of the subjects...as a person he is nice company, but as a teacher, i suggest you look for other options.

Freshman
N/A
Elective
Mar 2002

Tony is a really nice, enthusiastic teacher who is passionate about Geology. He is very understanding of the students' needs, as I learned the hard way after missing my final! He let me and the other students who missed the final take it, which was very nice. He is a fairly new teacher and once he gets more adjusted, he'll be great.

Freshman
N/A
Elective
Mar 2002

While some say Tony has a unique and hard to understand teaching style, I have found that he is a truly remarkable teacher. I agree his tests are difficult and you must spend time studying, but if you come to lecture everyday, pay attention, and take notes ~ he notices. Also, it helps to go to his office hours. He is such an enthusiastic geologist and works hard to engage the class. He's very understanding of the students and isn't as impossible as people say. If you want to learn alot from a great man, take him, he knows everything.

Freshman
N/A
Elective
Mar 2002

While some say Tony has a unique and hard to understand teaching style, I have found that he is a truly remarkable teacher. I agree his tests are difficult and you must spend time studying, but if you come to lecture everyday, pay attention, and take notes ~ he notices. Also, it helps to go to his office hours. He is such an enthusiastic geologist and works hard to engage the class. He's very understanding of the students and isn't as impossible as people say. If you want to learn alot from a great man, take him, he knows everything.

Freshman
B
General Ed
Mar 2002

Prof Garcia has a passion for what he does, which is studying rocks. The class is boring, and he starts new topics with 2 minutes left in the class period. Prof Garcia's enthusiams and energy were the only things that kept me interested, the guy lives for geology. He tries to teach way too much info in a short amount of time. He must realize it is INTRO the geology, and not all of us have been studying alluvial fans and stream bed incisions our whole life.He does try his best to communicate the info and allways asks if the class has any questions, but I was too lost to even know what question to ask. The class is pretty hard, and since there is no homework, you must rely on the midterm and the final. The first midterm was a bitch, the class average was like 59%. Do the extra credits and study your ass of for the final and you will pass. I took him in his second quarter teaching (Winter 2002), in a couple more quaters I think his knowledge and enthusiasm will make him a good teacher to take, just wait a while to take the class.

Freshman
No Credit
General Ed
Apr 2002

Im sure Prof. Garcia is a nice guy. But I could care less. This was the worst class I have ever taken. His lectures were long and boring, He went on and on about stuff nobody knew what the hell he was talking about. This is supposed to be INTRO to geology, but he expected us to know all sorts of shit already. He makes us buy this book, yet nothing he talks about or tests us on comes from it. I didn't even open mine all quarter. He is the most boring professer ever. He is in love with rocks and gets all excited. But he can't teach worth shit. Every day I left that class thinking "Fuck Rocks". No one in this class ever understood a word he said. He jumps around and covers way to much for an intro course. Don't ever take him, but if you have to, you better take super good notes if you have any hopes of passing. Every thing on the tests come from notes, and your grade consists of a midterm and final thats it. The best thing about this class for me was that I got $37 for my book.
Stay away from him.

Sophomore
A
General Ed
Apr 2002

Alright, Tony Garcia is definately passionate about geology, thats for sure. Every one of his lectures lasts the full 2 hours, up to the minute so don't expect to get out early, EVER. The lectures are pretty boring, but they account for supposedly 95% of the test questions. You're supposed to buy a book, but don't, its a waste of time. Just write down everything he writes on the board during class, and he gives you a study guide before the midterm and the final, make sure you know the answers to the subjects on it. Memorize your notes from class (theres a ton). Make sure you go to class because thats where all of the test material is from. I didn't buy the book, I just memorized the notes the night before our tests. You definately learn a lot, but this is a GE class, you're not supposed to learn. Take Chipping, its a lot easier, memorize the test questions and answers and get an A in his class. Garcia actually makes you learn stuff to get a good grade. Your choice.

Freshman
A
General Ed
Apr 2002

I got an A in this class without opening my backpack once, except to take out the single homework project. Don't buy the book. You can get by maybe going to the reserves once or twice if you have to. When he was answering questions, there were a few times when I just wanted to shout out to clarify what he was trying to say, because I could figure it out but I could tell that most other people couldn't. Most of the time, the information made sense as presented. Oh, yeah, and he grades on a bell curve.

Junior
B
General Ed
Dec 2002

Dr. Garcia is a good professor but he should not be teaching a general education class. He trys to cram way to much material into the quarter causing a lot of problems for students. His lectures are scattered and hard to follow when you look back at your notes. His tests are very tough because he asks such nit picky details. I am junior and I mantain about a 3.6 cumalitive GPA and I studied my ass off in this class and still received a B+, so trust me there are much easier professors out there to fulfill this GE. Unless you are planning to get a minor in geology, Dr. Garcia is probably not the best professor for this GE. I am not trying to take anything away from Dr. Garcia because he is a very enthusiatic professor who knows his material well, but I just think he requires to much of his students to be successful. If you do take Garcia, utilize his office hours because he is very helpful in a one on one setting.

Sophomore
A
General Ed
Jan 2003

Professor Garcia is one of the BEST teachers I have ever had. Geology, itself is ALOT of material to absorb. That's why it is crucial for any student in this course to PREPARE for the class by READING the material before hand. I knew nearly nothing about Geology before this quarter. In fact, I recieved an F on my first midterm because I missed 3 classes and didn't prepare, after that I did the opposite and recieved an A. His lectures are full of information and may be tedious, but Garcia displays the material with great enthusiasm and examples(i.e. a spatter cone is like a huge pimple on a volcanoe.) It is a FACT that Garcia is a great teacher and will clarify anything and everything you want to know about Geology if you put in the time to read before classes. This is the only way you will understand his full lecture, plus kick ass on his exams.

Freshman
B
General Ed
Jun 2003

This guy is awesome. His enthusiasm encouraged me to attend every lecture. Anyone who can get as excited about rocks as Garcia deserves an award. I ended up with a B- in the class and even though it wasn't an A, I was happy because I learned a lot and met an awesome guy. Take the class!

Freshman
B
Required (Support)
Jun 2005

Garcia is a very enthusiastic teacher. He truly cares about geology and wants to share his knowledge with students. The class is somewhat hard. The final was pretty hard because the questions were very specific and it was cumulative . The class is a little bit unorganized and his quizzes are based on things that he doesnt cover in class, but are only in the book. Overall, i think the class was worthwhile and Garcia was a fun teacher. From what ive heard, you shouldnt take the other geology teacher (Chipping) because Garcia is better and more interesting.

Sophomore
C
General Ed
Jun 2007

I do not recommend taking him if you are looking for an easy GE. His tests are not easy. The sad thing is, my major classes required less effort. Other than that, his is a pretty nice guy.

Sophomore
N/A
General Ed
May 2009

I haven't enjoyed a class at Cal Poly as much as I have enjoyed Dr. Garcia's Geology class. He posts all the notes that we go over in class on blackboard and pretty much ticks directly to them in lecture. His power point slides have all kinds of simple, animated movies and diagrams that really assist those students who learn visually. If there is something that is really important and will definitely be on a test, he will let the class know. He also posts study guides that are very descriptive about EXACTLY what will be on the tests. Dr. Garcia's enthusiasm to teach this class definitely rubbed off on me and I would recommend him over any other teacher in the course. Oh and P.S...MAKE FLASHCARDS!

Freshman
B
General Ed
Jun 2009

I took Introduction to Geology completely on a whim. I needed more credits, so I crashed this class because it was open. I had no idea what to expect... I thought it would be a little dull because I figured it was probably just going to be all about rocks all quarter. How wrong I was! I'm an art major, which makes geology pretty much on the opposite end of the spectrum from what I do, but I LOVED THIS CLASS. Professor Garcia was smart and upbeat and fast paced, but also very clear and genuinely interesting to listen to. Not only was the subject matter of this class far more varied and interesting than I had expected, but Professor Garcia was able to convey it each day with enthusiasm and clarity. If you ever had questions, he was glad to answer them, and he always did so in a way that was helpful to everyone. His powerpoints were well put together and often included little animations which really helped me understand and visualize how things worked, and all his notes are online, so you can print them and follow along in class. This course covered everything from the origin of the universe and Earth to the structure and makeup of the Earth, plate tectonics, natural disasters, human impact, and even some paleontology and the origin of life on Earth. Every single lecture was totally riveting, and I looked forward to coming to class each day. This was the only course I took this quarter that was not in my major... and oddly enough, this is the only class I'm going to miss. Professor Garcia has inspired me to take more geology courses in the future, and when I do, I will try to get him as a teacher because I think he is the best professor I have had so far at Cal Poly. I very strongly recommend him to anyone!

Sophomore
N/A
General Ed
Jun 2009

i'm not going to say he's a bad professor by any means, because he's not. he's really passionate about what he does and it shows. HOWEVER, for a 100 level class, and for someone just lookin to get a GE outta the way, do NOT take this class. the amount of information he gives u and expects you to remember on the exams is INSANE. and not to mention... it's about ROCKS you are learning. so if you haven't the slightest interest in geology and are just looking to fill a GE requirement, AVOID this class!!! too much time and effort

Sophomore
A
General Ed
Dec 2010

Garcia is SO passionate about what he is teaching. I\'m sure some people didn\'t enjoy this class as much as I did, but it probably was because they didn\'t want to study for it. This definitely is not an \"easy A\" class. You need to read the notes (he provides for you) to do well on quizzes and tests. If you study for the quizzes, test will be a lot easier, and for every test there\'s extra credit. If you don\'t mind doing a little studying, take this class. I learned so much and gained a lot of insight into the world around me.

Sophomore
A
General Ed
Nov 2011

TAKE THIS CLASS. Probably one of the best and most entertaining teachers I have had at Poly. Garcia is SO passionate about Geology (he literally named his dog after a mineral) so it makes the class interesting. He has weekly quizzes which he gives you a study guide for. The questions on the study guide are the EXACT questions on the quiz so if you do the study guide, then there's no reason not to get an A. There's 2 midterms and a final all of which he gives study guides for and if you know everything on the study guide then you should do great. Do the extra credit which adds 5% extra to each of the midterms!! Easy class and awesome teacher.

Junior
A
General Ed
Dec 2011

Dr. Garcia is the most passionate professor I've ever had. He truly loves his field and his job, and it's extremely evident while he teaches. You cover a lot of material during the lectures, but with the study guides he provides, the quizzes and exams are very straightforward. As long as you put in a decent amount of effort into the class, you'll do just fine. This GE is very manageable.

Sophomore
B
General Ed
Dec 2011

Take this class. Awesome way to get GE out of the way for science. Tony is totally rad and funny in class. He makes an extremely boring subject at least somewhat interesting. One of the nicest guys at Cal Poly. Really helped and encouraged me in office hours as I struggled through a tough quarter. Extra credit options, and study guides help a lot.
Enjoy.

Sophomore
A
General Ed
Mar 2012

Great teacher, really enthusiastic about the topics. Shows videos and bases lectures off of powerpoints. He was really good with explaining everything, I didn't even really need the book (there are a couple questions on the test from the book, but 2 or 3 max usually). Most questions came from the worksheets that you are required to print out and bring to class. Just doing that, paying attention, and taking notes gave me an A in the class. He gives you a study guide for all the quizzes, so if you study for them, you will definitely get an A. He gives out study guides for everything, so know the answers to them (which are easily found on the worksheets).

Sophomore
A
General Ed
Apr 2012

This class is easy if you take the time to complete and memorize the study guides he gives. His study guides are very thorough and as long as you know what's on it you will get a good grade on the tests. He's super chill and offers extra credit before every test. He knows his stuff and is super helpful if you go to his office hours. Definitely take this class for your GE, by far the best option!

Sophomore
A
General Ed
Dec 2012

Garcia deserves a lot more credit than his current ratings. He pretty much gives you everything you need to try to get an A in this class (notes and study guides). All you have to really do is pay attention when he tells you what pictures you will have to draw on the midterms or just anything on the midterm. The class is a boring class and hard to understand, but it's manageable to still get an A. I got a C on my first midterm, and was still able to get an A- in the class!

Freshman
B
General Ed
Apr 2013

I really have no idea how this guy is a professor at any school let alone one as good as cal poly. He admits that he is not very intelligent and he seems to have no idea how to teach or control a college class. He's a nice guy and everything but he treats his students like kids and doesn't understand that his students are adults with lives outside of his class. He'll kick you out if your on your phone or talking and he doesn't let people leave for bathroom breaks. He seems to have no confidence in what he teaches as if he's completely unsure whether or not he's giving correct info. Quizs every week, unclear teaching, pointless lectures that are mandatory to attend....cool guy (which has probably kept his rating decent) mediocre class and professor.

Freshman
N/A
General Ed
Jun 2014

I felt a need to evaluate this class because my high hopes for this class were demolished very quickly in this class. The lectures are not helpful, but you basically have to go to them in order to take weekly quizzes. I struggled constantly in this class and would not recommend this to someone who struggles with science. School is so important to me and before this class I had never earned a grade lower than a B, now I'm lucky if I pass geology. I think the worst outcome of this class was making me apathetic toward learning the subject matter that I had originally looked forward to learning. He's supposedly great for 201, but DO NOT TAKE TONY GARCIA FOR 102!!!!!!

Freshman
B
General Ed
Jun 2014

overall not a bad GE. It does take work. Study for all the quizzes and GO TO CLASS! everyday he goes over something that will either be on the midterm or finals and you don't want to miss that. he pretty much gives all the answers to the free response in class if you go. also study and make flashcards for the midterms and finals. it'll be worth it.

Freshman
C
General Ed
Jun 2014

This class is way too difficult. Tony is super into the topic which is cool, but he expects everyone to love rocks as much as he does. He makes the tests and quizzes extremely detailed and difficult and overall this is way to hard for just being a GE. I showed up to every single class and did all the work and still didn't get a good grade. Definitely wouldn't suggest this class to anyone

Sophomore
B
General Ed
Jun 2014

Tony doesn't seem to understand the modern student.
In a lecture of 120 people you can't use computers or cell phones, and if he thinks you are using them or talking during class, he will stop in the middle of his sentence to chastise you. He even threatened to call the police on a student if he didn't leave because he was talking. (Yes, really). Essentially, Tony is the king of getting Butt-hurt.
This completely voids his credibility as a teacher at Poly. If you're so good at Geology, why give a shit if somebody doesn't want to learn? You shouldn't need validation from a group of students who, at the subject's core, don't care at all about Geology.
Tests were difficult, and contain a lengthy short answer section before a scantron section. You'd think that because it is a General Education course, that mostly conceptual questions would be on the free response, and more specific information would be asked on the Scantron section. Oh no, no no.
Be prepared to memorize things for the test that have absolutely zero significance outside of this Cal Poly Geology 102 class, and even some stuff that has zero significance to a basic understanding of Geology. I took Geology in high school, and I still have a hard time trying to figure out what he wants us to learn and memorize.
For example, I'm studying for the final right now. More than half of the final is based on the evolution of life on earth. I'm no scientist, but evolution BIOLOGY doesn't fall under the umbrella of "Geology."
In addition to all of this, the information he gives is extremely jumbled, disorganized, and incredibly hard to learn. Sure he gives out study guides, but they just give you a guide of what to try and find in one of his 20 100-page powerpoints, instead of just typing out what you actually need to know (which shouldn't be too hard, he is a Geologist after all).
Tony makes no exceptions to his students and is very stubborn with his process and teaching style. That would be great and consistent and all, but it appears he got locked into this style in 1998, when nobody had laptops to take notes on, and everybody with a cell phone was a drug dealer. He doesn't answer grade questions on email, you must waste both of your time to try and figure out where you are in the class. No grades are posted online anywhere, ever.
Also, he expects students to study about ten hours PER WEEK to PASS (C-) the class. Good for you, Tony, to think I've got that kind of time, I'm sure you do. But an introduction to Geology class is about the last thing on my priority list, and Tony TRULY does not understand that this is the case with most of his students.
If you want to be Randy Marsh, and become an actual Geologist, maybe this class is for you. It would be a great way to start memorizing rock names.
If you don't want to devote your life's work to Geology, DON'T TAKE THIS CLASS. Tony doesn't make learning the material enjoyable, or even easy to find and consume. He took a subject that I enjoyed in high school, and he made it completely undesirable to go to class and try to learn the material.
Just get high and take astronomy instead, you won't regret it.

Sophomore
Credit
General Ed
Jun 2014

To the person who ranted extensively about Garcia, I'm sorry that you are so consumed by today's technology that you can't go 90 minutes without a computer or cell phone and don't value your education enough to go to class sober.
I chose to major in the liberal arts because I always hated science class and dreaded fulfilling my science GE's. However, I fell in love with Geology from Garcia's 203 and 102 courses and even considered changing my major to Earth Science for a bit. Yes, he talks quickly and his notes and slides are slightly disorganized, but if you go to class with the printed notes and follow along, you will be just fine. Sit in the front row so you can hear better, he does speak quickly but he says a lot of funny things under his breath that make the class enjoyable. I didn't even have to buy the book because his study guides have exactly everything you need to know on them, and I only studied 30 minutes for each weekly quiz and did fine.
I also went through a rough time this year and Garcia was fully understanding when I had to take some time off in the middle of the quarter and came back unprepared for a lab final - he even let me take it a few days later during his office hours. If you want to get stoned and text through lecture, don't take this class. If you want to learn about the natural environment of the Central Coast with a professor who has bad jokes and funny Youtube videos, take this class.

Freshman
B
General Ed
May 2016

I feel lots of the arguments on here are unfair, yes he does not allow laptops or talking when he is talking, but that is because he is passionate about what he teaches and wants to be sure everyone else understands the importance too. His lectures are interesting and he was always willing to help me out when I went to office hours. The class is demanding but if you pay attention you will do well.

PHYS 102

Sophomore
D
Required (Support)
Jan 2003

Garcia is a great guy. The class was always long because all we did was lecture, but toward the end things got better. Read, Read, Read because just listening and taking notes in class won't get you the A. The only time I read my book was before tests, where I used my study guide to reference exam material. Overall, it wasn't a bad class. Test scores will be quite low, but Garcia is quite generous in the end.

Sophomore
A
General Ed
Mar 2013

This is my favorite class I have taken at Cal Poly. Garcia is an excellent teacher! Take him. There is not a textbook, and he provides PDF course notes on Polylearn that you just print out and bring to class. All the material you need to know is in the course notes. Also, he has a weekly quiz that he gives study guides for that are very easy if you prepare. He is extremely passionate and energetic and clearly loves geology. He is also entertaining and really nice and helpful if you ask a question or talk to him outside of class. The best.

GEOG 201

Junior
D
Elective
Mar 2005

don't take garcia, i got a d+, even though i got a B on the midterm, and i did all the extra credit

GEOL 201

Freshman
B
Required (Support)
Mar 2002

Tony is truely excited about what he teaches, and that rubs off on anyone who is interested. His recent work in the field of Geology gives him stories and examples which he ties into the lecture which, in turn, makes things much more interesting.

Freshman
C
General Ed
Mar 2002

prof garcia is so enthusiastic and passionate about geology! he loves what he does. however he presents SO much material in lecture that its a little much to grasp. he also is a bit unorganized which can be difficult when one minute he's talking about mountains and earthquakes and the next he's talking about time being warped through geologic events....he also doesnt assign any reading so you must go to class...but his midterm and final are difficult you MUST study!!!! i think if he didnt have so much info to learn his class would be much better!

Freshman
B
Required (Support)
Nov 2002

Dr. Garcia is very enthusiastic about what he teaches, which for some reason doesn't make the class any less boring than it would be if he hated the subject he taught. I struggle to go 66% of the time (2 of 3 days) because it's just so mind numbing. He writes down everything on the board verbatim from his notes, and his teaching methods are just as good as the glossary in the back of the book. The quizzes are easy. The tests are more difficult but definately do-able. Boring but easy class.

Sophomore
B
Required (Support)
Dec 2002

He was okay. The course wasn't too difficult, just seemed irrelevant to anything we engineers will actual do... I guess my complaint is why we actually take this course. I learned nothing that will really help me except reaffirmed some common sense like not to build on sand and erosion will happen so don't build on certain soil/rock types! Gee, thanks. Garcia is obsessed with geology with makes the course decent, but in no way that interesting. Just do the review sheets and you should be on your way to a B. Read and show up everyday and and A could be possible.

Senior
C
Required (Support)
Dec 2002

He is fired up about the material he presents. The guy truly loves geology and wants you get as much out of this class as you can. That being said, there is a ton of information to cover, and it's tough to keep up with the reading if you're not into the class that much. Just make sure you keep up with the reading, take the quizzes seriously (unlike myself), and you should be fine. The final and midterm aren't that bad.

Freshman
F
Required (Support)
Mar 2003

He was very excited about teaching the class, but he presented way too much information way too fast. He jumps around a lot too. Completely changing topics mid lecture. I dont know how good the other geol profs are, but i wouldnt take garcia again.

Sophomore
D
Required (Support)
Apr 2003

Fuck Garcia. I studied my ass off and ended up with a D. This guy is inconsiderate and makes you feel stupid for asking questions during class or office hours because of his negative attitude. He is more of a Geologist than a Cal Poly Professor because he does not care whether or not you learn/understand the material. Geology can be very interesting as long as you take anybody other than this Mushroom-headed hippy. Garcia: go study rocks and leave the teaching to the people who actually like to teach.

Freshman
D
Required (Support)
Apr 2003

This class is pretty straight forward except for the quizzes which can be pretty misleading. Go to office hours cause he tells you what and what not is goin to be on the test. Remember specifics cause its not concepts but specific things.

5th Year Senior
B
General Ed
May 2003

I actually enjoyed my Geology class with Dr. Garcia. However, I think it is worth noting that I received a B+ because the A- grades started at 95%. That is a hell of a curve that works against the students. Remember, you are competing against your fellow students as he only gives a few A's. Apparently, he used to grade easier but decided to get stricter the last couple of quarters. Other than that, I found the class interesting and Dr. Garcia was very approachable during his office hours.

Senior
N/A
Required (Major)
Dec 2003

This guy is a joke, his quizzes and tests are way too specific, if it weren't for his practice quizzes everyone would probably fail. He takes the class way too seriuosly and expects everyone to know as much about geology as he does. He basically blows, he is also very disrespectful. Don't take him unless you have to cuz he's an ass. His class is possible to pass, however.

Freshman
B
Required (Support)
Jan 2004

Garcia is an excellent professor. His enthusiasm makes the class interesting even if you don't care about the subject material. His exams are based solely on his lecctures, and the quizzes on the reading (which is the same information as his lectures, despite what he says). If you go to class, pay attention, and take notes, you'll do great in the course. He is also very helpful and friendly during office hours, so be sure to use that resource. Garcia is one of the best teachers I've had in a long time, and I'm glad I had him.

Junior
C
Required (Major)
May 2004

Tony is the absolute worst teacher I've ever had. I've had him for other classes as well and his classes do not seem to follow any sort of structure. He cannot stay on topic to save his life. He is scattered, and his classes are the same way. He uses powerpoint, which you would think would allow him to have some sort of organization, but no. He jumps around on the slides, and is hard to follow. And when you ask questions, the answer you get never seems to be to the question you actually asked. Simply put, don't take him unless you're as unlucky as me, and have to.

Junior
D
Required (Support)
Jan 2005

I found Professor Garcia to be an excellent teacher. He has a quirky sense of humor, and he keeps the students engaged. His lectures are good. The only problem I had with the class was the material - I just didnt find very interesting. Some of it is, but some is boring, boring, boring. He grades fairly. There are alot of tests - a midterm, a final, and 3 quizzes which for all intensive purposes are midterms. He assigns 2 extra credit assignments each quarter, but he makes it clear that he expects students to do both of them, and since he grades on a scale and pretty much everyone does these assignments, they are essentially 2 field trips you must do. That being said, he is a great teacher, and if you don't enjoy the class it may not be his fault so much as it is the material. I'd recommend him.

Freshman
B
Required (Support)
Feb 2006

Despite Garcias clear presentation of exam material hes still a pretty cool guy. He doesnt tell you exactly what is going to be on an exam but he does offer practice tests and about half of the answers show up again. It took some studying a night or 2 before a test to do well in this class.

Junior
A
Required (Support)
Mar 2006

Dr. Garcia is super excited about geology, which is great because the class would be really boring otherwise. His tests and quizzes are extremely specific so there is no way to do well unless you thoroughly read and review your notes. He is pretty helpful in office hours if you ask specific questions. If you read the required reading for quizzes and review your notes for tests and go to his office hours a few days before a test or quiz you will do fine. He does give extra credit opportunities so that's always good.

Freshman
N/A
Required (Major)
Nov 2006

Garcia is a fucking asshole. I studied 6 hours before the midterm from the study guides, and got a D-. He can't answer any questions you have without making you more confused than before. His tests are rediculously specific, many which he never taught or were on the study guide. Never take Garcia unless you're emo.

Junior
F
Required (Support)
Dec 2006Moderated Comment

Dr. Garcia is a fucking shithead! The people who get A's or B's in his class have it either as their major or don't have a life. I have all A's and B's in my other classes. I studied for his quizes and tests for 10 hours or more. This is more time spent for Geology a 3 unit course than calculus, which was easy, scom and physics combined. ... A teacher should test on what he teaches, this is has never been the case with this jerkoff.

Freshman
C
Required (Support)
Feb 2007

this course is tough if you take garcia. The quizzess and test are extremly hard. You have to memorize the notes and know how to apply them in everyway possible. He will try to trick you on exams. The class average was a 63% with no A's and he didn't curve!!! Don't take garica if you can, he is impossible!

Freshman
N/A
Required (Support)
Feb 2007

"This is your opportunity to help other students, not to rip on a professor because they failed you!"
To the posters below: Welcome to college, kids. If you really studied as much as you claimed, then why did you end up failing? Dr. Garcia is an excellent professor; he's enthusiastic about the subject, genuinely loves teaching, and is a nice guy in and out of class. His tests and quizzes are challenging, but not impossible. Put in the time and effort, and you'll do well. Your grade is based on 3 quizzes (30%), 1 midterm (30%), and a final (35%), and homework (5%).

Sophomore
N/A
Required (Support)
Mar 2007

Garcia is not the one for you. He talks really fast during lecture first of all, and he tries to trick you on tests rather than test knowledge of the material. The quizzes are unessarily hard and like 80% of the class gets a D or below. The midterm is just the reading in the book and the midterm is the lecture material which made it even harder to do well. Even though the class did so bad on the quizzes and the average is usually below a 68 he will not curve anything. You need to have alot of time to keep up with the huge amount of material he gives you and read all the time to have a chance. Also, the extra credit doesn't even help because everyone does it and it just screws you over if you don't do it. If you have no life and wanna take a 3 unit class that should be a 4 unit class, take this class then and have a ball.

Sophomore
C
Required (Support)
Mar 2007

Grading:
- 2 Midterms
- 3 Quizzes (one the class before the final... what?)
- 2 EXTRA CREDIT (Everyone has to do them anyway)
- 1 Assignment
This guy is kinda out there, and his testing doesn't reflect the learning in the class. He Babels for hours about things, you copy notes frantically and he tests you remote details from the notes. Tests & quizzes are unfair, and his curve doesn't really reflect the class average! He cares a lot the subject matter but not at all about his students which makes him seem really arrogant.
He's an ex-hippie from Florida... kinda sums it up for me!

Freshman
C
Required (Support)
Apr 2007

This class was hard. The class was basically taking notes for 1 1/2 hours straight, two times a week. I don't think Garcia was the problem. He seemed like a decent teacher. The problem was only a fourth of the class could understand what he was talking about.

Sophomore
N/A
Elective
Nov 2007

Professor Garcia is very energetic about his teaching. his lectures are composed of him describing and relating the material with the frequent pause for the copying of a red slide. His exams and quizes are difficult. Though if you read the book and anwser all the end of chapter questions,not only will you pass your tests, but you will have a good understanding of the material. This class is great for the inspector/analysis types. any arch student should be familiar with subduction and liquefaction. take this class.

Freshman
C
Required (Support)
Nov 2007

Garbage. Geology is an interesting class, but it didn't seem to stick when I took the midterms. A lot of reading and lecturing. I'm just glad I passed. Garcia wasn't horrible. He's a funny dude and seems pretty into it

Freshman
B
Required (Support)
Dec 2007

Before I took Geology, I thought it was a boring class. It turns out it is not so bad. Dr. Garcia is really energetic. He knows geology and is always there to help. The only downside is that his tests and quizzes are hard. Some questions have ambiguous answers. Ask him to clarify. Study a lot for them and you will do fine. Make sure you study everything from the study guides and read what he tells you to.

Freshman
C
Required (Support)
Dec 2007

Garcia is one of the passionate teachers ive ever seen teach in my life. he talks at about a 9827364 words per minute and is always just moving around. sometimes its actually pretty entertaining. now for the class....its hard. he showed us a bar graph showing the grades of the class from the previous quarter and there were two As, around 8 Bs, probly 20 Cs, and the rest Ds and Fs. 1 midterm (30%), 3 quizzes (10% each: one on the last day of class before finals week?!!!), one hw assignment (5%), 2 "extra credit" assignments (you have to go take a picture by some rocks by the ocean and in morro bay. everyone does them so its pretty much required to keep w/ the curve), and a final (35%). garcia gives a studyguide about a week before each quiz and about 2 weeks before the midterm and final. quizzes are based entirely from the book while the midterm/final are based straight from the notes. only the information that the studyguide has is what u need to know. quizzes/tests are about 25-30 multiple choice and 8-10 come up with the answer on ur own. i studied probly 4 hours the day before each quiz and a lot more before the midterm and final. i thought i knew the material well. i would take each quiz and exam and feel real good about it, and then every time it would come back w/ a C! looking back at the tests i could see that there were always a few questions that i should of got right but just messed up on. i dont know....overall this is a pretty hard class. if u know the studyguides, u should be able to pass. i dont recommend this class for an easy GE, and if u need to take this for a support class, then good luck

Senior
A
Required (Support)
Mar 2008

I took this class about 2 years ago and I still have not had a professor that has made such an impact on me as Tony Garcia. I went into the class thinking it was going to be another boring support class. But I came out of it thinking it was the most interesting class ever. He is so enthusiastic about the course material and his geological pictures always have his dog in them for scale. As I recall there were 2 midterms and a final and they were based directly on the lecture material and the assigned reading. I actually found the textbook to be really interesting so I did not have any problem trying to read it. If you have to take a geology class or any class he teaches I would highly recommend him because he makes it so interesting.

5th Year Senior
Credit
Required (Support)
Apr 2008

I liked having Tony as a professor. He is really excited about the material, which makes lectures interesting. He is very knowledgeable and I learned a lot in this class. His tests and quizzes are tough, because they ask very specific questions, but if you do read the book and study the lecture notes thoroughly you will be fine.

Sophomore
B
Required (Support)
Aug 2008

To any of you who says Garcia sucks, just be quiet already! This guy was was one of the best teachers I've ever had. Sure he covers a lot of material, but that's what you should expect from a teacher that actually teaches. And as long as you keep up with the book everything should fine because he takes almost all of the information for his tests from the book. Expect to study a lot though, skimming through the chapters are not going to get you the grade you want.

Sophomore
F
Required (Support)
Aug 2008

he's one of those professors that is too passionate about what he teaches. He jumps around and jitters. His test is too difficult and tricky. His grading is so unfair. Garcia made this 3-unit class harder than my chemisty, calculus and physics class. It's been a year since I've failed Geol 201, and I haven't retake since... that is how much he made me hate Geology.

Freshman
B
General Ed
Dec 2008

He's a good guy but he sucks at teaching. Plan on spending most of your time studying for his exams.

Senior
C
Required (Support)
Dec 2008

Apparently no one told Tony that this class is only worth 3 units.... don't bother going to class because he doesn't make any sense... don't buy the book.... do ALL the extra credit... and read the blackboard postings.... don't take the class if you can help it....

Junior
A
Required (Major)
Jan 2009

Tony Garcia is one of the better professors I've had at Cal Poly. He talks a little too fast and could make better eye contact when lecturing, but those are his only bad points. He uses lots of graphics in lecture, which helps a lot. He gives you all his lecture notes, which is what the exams are based on. The exams are tough but doable, and they are curved. He canceled quizzes, so just 2 midterms, final, and extra credit. I thought I was going to get a B in the class for sure, but was stoked when I ended up getting an A after curving. The info is useful in understanding the world around you and is good for impressing friends and family. The book is very well written, but not necessary to do well in the class. Study the lecture notes hard enough and go to all the classes and you can get an A. Do the extra credit photos because most people do them and the class is curved. This class was so enjoyable and interesting it inspired me to take Geol206 this quarter just for fun.

Freshman
B
Required (Major)
Feb 2009

Tony was by far the best teacher I have ever had. I learned so much in his class and he made it really fun. Sure he talks really fast and goes on and on, but the guy is just excited about geology. He really knows his stuff and it leads to a very exciting class. I still find myself walking around and noticing things that i learned from that class. The class isn't bad at all. He gives you the notes online, and many diagrams, so all you have to do is come to class and follow along. If you don't understand something, he will stick around with you until you do. There are 2 midterms, a final, and extra credit. It's really no big deal. You learn a lot for a 3 unit class, but get over it. It's interesting stuff so it will keep you entertained. And so will Tony.

Freshman
B
Required (Support)
Mar 2009

Going into this class I feared Garcia based on what i'd read on this site. Luckily for me, he turned out to be a great teacher. Sure, he talks really fast and he is somewhat disorganized, but nothing like people on here say he is. I enjoyed his lecture every day, and I had it at 730 am. Take him for geology if you want to learn a lot from a guy who loves what he teaches.

Sophomore
A
Required (Support)
Mar 2009

Tony is super excited about geology and will talk really really fast throughout the lecture. He gets so excited sometimes that he'll smack the projection screen with his yardstick. There's so much info to take in during his lectures, but he provides notes for you to follow along. The book isn't extremely helpful, but it's good to look up the main concepts and some definitions. If he brings up specific examples in class, pay attention! They will most likely show up on his tests. Do the extra credit like everyone else has said, he adds it to your test score before he curves so it can only help you. He also provides study sheets for the exams. An hour and a half lecture is kinda long, but it can be funny to watch him pace back and forth, hitting the screen, and stumbling over his words. He's a good prof and will make you learn something about geology.

Freshman
C
General Ed
Apr 2009

He is a really good teacher, probably the best geology professor from what I've heard. He taught the class really well. I got a C because I gave up towards the end and had to care about passing other classes. I got A's on his two midterms and then probably failed the final to get the C. The final was kind of hard. He has extra credit opportunities that you have to go to certain beaches in SLO county and take pictures. I went with several people and smoked before taking the pictures. Garcia has to be a pothead from how he teaches his class. He really makes an effort for his students to understand the course and pass. He wants people to pass, which is a good thing. The class isn't hard to where he wants people to pass. He just enjoys his subject and wants to see people excel in it.

Graduate Student
B
General Ed
Jun 2009

shiite grader, presents material clearly but his assignment and grading policy sucks balls, especially for a class that is taught at 7:40 AM.
Never will take another class with this guy and I've been through a lot of different teachers, not one as bad as this guy.

Junior
F
Required (Support)
Jun 2009Moderated Comment

First of all, this teacher is the worst teacher I have yet to encounter thus far at Cal Poly. He is by far the most miserable human being I have seen and am still astonished he is still teaching. Whatever you do, this is the worst class/hardest class ive ever been apart of at this institution. I cant beleive this is only a three unit class when I slave my ass off in Calc and Physics just to get by. He thinks this is the only thing that matters in the world and believe me, it only matters if its your major which who majors in Geology anyways these days. As I stated in his review, this teacher should be either removed from this course or be reprimanded from teaching it like a complete fucking douchebag. Stay far away, verrrrrrrrrrrrrrry far away. To all the people that say he is the most brilliant professor they have seen, you got issues ... . To anyone reading this, I feel as if I am a typical student and believe me, if you want to have any sort of life, especially a fun colllege life, your making a mistake if you enroll in this class. Please let my story influence you to not take him in anything that you do from here on out in your career ... .

5th Year Senior
C
General Ed
Jun 2009

Quite obviously the person who got the F below deserved it. Can we say bitter much? Also, there IS no geology major at Poly. It's a MINOR and the Major is Earth Science or Soil Science. Stop filling Poly Ratings with your whining. If anyone is the "dumb fuck" it's YOU. You and your entitled whining because ohhhh nooo you got the F you deserve because you're a slacker used to teachers who feel bad for you and give you Pity C's. Give me a fucking break. Tony is an amazing teacher and one of the coolest people I've ever met.
There's a think called WORK. You have to do it to get good grades. Sorry to break it to you, but good luck in the real world where people will just laugh at you for being so stupid.

Sophomore
B
Required (Support)
Jan 2010

I strongly agree with the last post. Vulgarity is unnecessary. Say something constructive that will actually help other students. That said, Garcia is cool. Class is fast, quite challenging, and no doubt you could take this class from someone easier, but if you want to learn and want a teacher that is good at teaching, take Garcia.

Freshman
B
Required (Support)
Apr 2010

Professor Garcia is extremely knowledgeable and his lectures are packed and interesting. If you want to learn a lot about Geology take Garcia! The tests are almost completely from the notes so read through your notes several times and you will do good on his tests... You will come out of his class knowing so much about how the Earth works. Do the Extra Credit assignments as well (they\'re super easy) you just go to a local place and take a picture of yourself) and they\'re worth 5% of your midterm grade if you do it!!!

Freshman
A
General Ed
Dec 2010

He was an average teacher. Reading everyone else\'s evaluations scared me going into this class. He talks really fast and is super into his work, but he\'s not as bad as everyone says. His lectures are boring, but you can download all of the notes which are all you need to study. DON\'T BUY THE BOOK, you don\'t need it at all. He gives you study guides for the midterms and final (2 midterms and one final) which is exactly what\'s on the tests. If you study what\'s on the study guides, you\'ll get at least a B. The tests were easy and he gives you 5% extra credit on each midterm for just taking a picture by some geologic landmark or whatever. If you put time in to study for this class, it\'s really easy. He gives weekly quizzes, too which are fairly easy if you study the notes. I didn\'t enjoy the class though so if you want an interesting class, don\'t take it. It was alright though overall and I got a super high grade.

Senior
B
General Ed
Jan 2011

He is a really passionate and cool professor. He is knowledgeable about geology and really tries to spread the information to his students. The tests were hard, but he offers lots of opportunity to increase your grade. I got a 67 on the second midterm, and studied a BUTTLOAD for the final, but somehow I pulled a B+ in the class. He really does care for his students and wants to help. If you go to his office hours, he will definitely make the time to help you out. It was a hard class, but I learned a lot. I was very satisfied with my grade, but if you are looking for an easy A don't take it. However, if you want to learn about our mother earth, he's the man.

Freshman
B
General Ed
Mar 2011

Garcia is very passionate about rocks and geology in general and it shows. His class is printing out notes that he made and him going over them in class. It helps a lot to go to class because he shows a lot of short videos and animations that show what a lot of the terms mean. He goes through the notes really fast and sometimes it was hard to keep up or be able to remember what he was talking about because for most normal people geology isn't second nature. He gives a quiz once a week so make sure to find out when it is and go that day because those are a big grade booster, I didn't do well on them at first but the more of them we took the easier they got and he started giving more information on what would be on them. He gives study guides for both midterms and the final which are VERY useful. All you really need to do is make flashcards with all the answers to the study guide and you'll do really well. His tests are multiple choice and short answer, so it's important to know some of the answers by heart rather than just recognizing the correct choice. Solid guy. Also, he gives you 5% extra credit on the midterms if you drive to a place nearby and take a picture next to the geological formation that he chooses, definitely take the picture, super easy 5% which can help a lot.

Freshman
B
Required (Support)
Mar 2011

Very good teacher and definitely makes the material interesting. He is very enthusiastic about what he is teaching and that helps because some areas (streams and rocks) are not very exciting. The only problem are that his quizzes can be challenging, his midterms are even harder, and his final is extremely hard. I studied extremely hard for all so I did alright on all of them. Multiple choice was the hardest for me and the majority of the midterms and final were multiple choice.

Sophomore
N/A
General Ed
Nov 2011

Tony, Tony, Tony. Great guy, no bologna.

Freshman
A
Required (Support)
Jun 2012

Tony is a boss. He absolutely loves geology and it shows when he lectures. He is an extremely animated and knowledgeable professor, which makes the class much more fun and interesting than it actually should be. The bottom line is, if you have to take this class (201), then take Garcia, if you have to take a GE and actually want to learn something, take Garcia, but if you want an easy GE in which you do nothing, skate by, and get an A, do not take Garcia. He's a great guy, and he takes care of his students. If you take his class, you shouldn't be disappointed.

Sophomore
B
Required (Support)
Jun 2012

Garcia was an awesome professor. Your grade in his class directly reflects the effort you put into the class. I gave him 2 hours of studying for the quizzes each week, and at least 4 for each midterm and 8 for the final. I didn't do the extra credit assignments which would have probably landed me in the A range. I should have, because they were extremely easy.
For those saying he is unreasonably hard, I think you were expecting the wrong kind of education when you signed up for Cal Poly. The class requires little outside work, he gives you the power point presentations, notes for the lecture, and review sheets for each quiz/midterm/final. I would take him again, his class was entertaining and you could pass with an A if you gave it just a few hours a week.

Freshman
B
Required (Support)
Jun 2012

garcia rocks (sorry, couldnt resist). you dont have to take any notes, he's already made all the notes for you, all you have to do it print them out and study them. he also made a study guide for every single quiz and midterm we ever did. also, he made all the powerpoints available to us to study as well. in my opinion, he could not have given the students more to work with than he did. if you study what he gives you, this class should be no problem. also, garcia is just an awesome guy who absolutely loves his job and the stuff he studies and teaches.

Sophomore
N/A
Required (Support)
Dec 2013

I actually read all the reviews about Garcia and walked into class expecting a huge waste of time and disappointment, however I was totally wrong. For a 3 unit course, Garcia makes this class incredibly interesting. Before I took this class, I knew nothing much in depth geology related, but he definitely teaches you some useful information regarding rocks, earthquakes, magma/volcanoes, anything geology related. Also it gets interesting when he talks about the landscape/topography of California and San Luis Obispo too. For GEOL 201 he gave us lecture notes and study guides for the quiz/midterms/final. Note that the quizzes are pop quizzes once a week and even if there wasnt a quiz, its still good to go to class because he presents the material pretty well and in depth. Oh yeah, and hes really into it too. One complaint though is that I wish that he had more office hours and was a little bit more approachable...

Freshman
A
Required (Major)
Jan 2014

Tony is an amazing person! He is passionate about geology and makes the class about rocks more exciting! He always tries to find real world applications for what he's teaching you.
His tests are detailed so just memorize the lectures and you will do fine!
Don't bother buying a textbook, all the tests are about his lectures!
If you have any questions go into see him during office hours he is so nice!
You'll love this class just because of tony!

Freshman
B
Required (Support)
Mar 2014

Excellent professor, and very fun class. He provides very helpful study guides and posts his power points on polylearn so studying for the exams is not too bad. He makes jokes throughout his lectures and the videos he shows in class are occasionally awesome or funny, and at the very least, helpful for understanding the concepts. He is very good at answering any questions you might have during office hours, and the quizzes are really straight forward because he tells you exactly what's going to be on them. Overall, great class, great professor. I highly recommend him.

Freshman
A
Required (Major)
May 2014

Tony is one chill mofo. Your grade consists of quizzes, midterms, and the final. He gives 5% extra credit on the midterms if you go take a picture with the local geologic feature he specifies. He gives out study guides that explain exactly what will be on the quizzes and midterms. You don't need to get a book, he posts articles he wants you to read on Polylearn. He loves the topic and jokes around in class so the lectures are always interesting. You should definitely take him for this class.

PHYS 201

Sophomore
C
Required (Support)
May 2008

He covers too much material for the class to be worth only 3 units. His quizzes are based on the reading and his exams are based on his lectures. Confusing? Yeah, I thought so. What's worse is that sometimes the lecture and assigned reading are not related. He's very enthusiastic but this class requires way too much time to be a 3 unit class.

GEOL 202

Freshman
C
General Ed
Jun 2009

Garcia is a man that knows a butt load of things about geology. He explains things very clearly and presents excellent examples in his lectures. He is all over the place but he knows his shit. He'll help you a lot if you don't understand anything also. Only downside is that he has a grader grade his tests, which ends up with you having a lot of questions about points, but he clears them up eventually. If you have a chance to take geology, definitely get Garcia.

GEOL 203

Freshman
F
Elective
Apr 2003

This professor sucks. DON'T TAKE THIS CLASS!! If you don't go one day to one of the recitation days your grade drops a whole letter grade. He is very unconsiderate, talks too fast, tries to be too enthusiastic about dinosaurs. He will say you'll have a multiple choice test, and at the end he'll change it to short answer. This guy is an idiot, Don't take this class with this Screech looking hippie. And if you do, don't even bother buying the 130 dollar book. His tests are based on his interpretations of the history of life.

Freshman
D
General Ed
Sep 2003

I've never met a person so excited to feel and touch a rock! He is so passionate about rocks! During his lecture he's literally getting a full workout because he's running around the class room. This guy cannot stay still for a second and he pretty much wipes the chalkboard with his clothes. But I guess it's great to have such a passionate teacher. All the hippie kids that are soil science majors and etc loved this guy! I liked him but personally I must say this guy has got some rocks in his head. It felt like he just did acid in the desert and started teaching a class right afterwards. So I would suggest this class if you REALLY like geology. If not, don't take it because you have to go to class and get notes if you want to pass. I went EVERY day and only got a D.

Freshman
B
Elective
Mar 2004

Garcia's class was very enjoyable. He was enthusiastic about the subject. His tests (one midterm, one final) were almost all based on lecture notes. If you go every class, take the notes, and study, you are more than set. My biggest recommendation would be not to miss class.

Sophomore
A
Elective
Jan 2009

i absolutely loved this class! he printed out all of the notes for whoever needed them [granted, it was a class of about 15-19] and he went over it all very clearly. such a nice guy, too! i highly recommend him and i wish i could take another one of his classes. his tests are very straightforward, no tricks. fossils & history of life is one of the best classes ive taken at poly and garcia is by far one of the best teachers, too. his dogs are precious, too.
i really dont get how his ratings are so low.....

5th Year Senior
C
Required (Support)
Jan 2009

Tony is an awesome instructor. This was my 5th class with him. I got a C+, but honestly it was because I had Botany and tons of other intensive courses at the same time, so studying was hard.
If you have the time to devote to the class, you will do well. His classes are not "easy A's" but that's a GOOD THING. We are paying to learn here!
His enthusiasm and preparedness is a welcome change from boring teachers who are burnt out.
He will always help you with questions, and just wants to share what he knows with people. He'll stop to help you out even if he's in a hurry, or trying to leave campus, and doesn't hide in his office with the door closed like other profs.
He makes all notes available online, and always has study guides, which are VERY helpful. He puts a lot of time and energy into the classes and wants the students to do the same.

Freshman
B
General Ed
Mar 2010

Dr. Gacia is freaking legit!!! He reminds me of Jeff Spicoli from Fast Times at Ridgemont High with the way he talks. But seriously, if Spicoli were to get off the drugs and take a sudden interest in rocks, fossils, mountains, Dr. Garcia is the final product. He\'s really animated in his lectures, which keep you entertained. But he speaks really fast because he\'s so into the material he is teaching for GEOL 203. Don\'t be afraid to ask him to stop and repeat. And don\'t be surprised if he says, \"Any questions?\" without looking at the class. Just write your questions down to be asked later or for office hours, (which I recommend). Also, ask as many questions as possible!!! He likes curiosity and when he doesn\'t know the answer to the question, he will try and answer the question to the best of his ability. I feel that his fervor for these types enable you to know the material better as well (Revenge of the Arthropods and stromatolites are just to name a few). I really enjoyed this class because I thought it was really interesting. Don\'t be one of those people who sit in the back because you\'re not learning about dinosaurs. If you actually pay attention to the lecture and ask questions about what he is talking about, you\'ll learn A LOT and Dr. Garcia will appreciate your desire to learn. Besides, you\'ll look really cool when you\'ll throw words around like, \"Eurypterids\", \"Archaeopteryx\", \"Trilobites\".

Freshman
N/A
General Ed
Jan 2011

He tries to brain wash you into thinking evolution is the only conceivable way that the earth was created. Fossils and the History of life is a completely about EVOLUTION, i dropped it after the first day. I about laughed when i heard him talking about us coming from fish

Junior
N/A
Elective
Mar 2011

Garcia is great. Yes hes passionate about rocks and geology but WHAT IS WRONG WITH THAT?! Would you rather have a professor that didn't care about the material he is teaching? That would be terrible! He is a fantastic professor, he is so knowledgeable and passionate it makes the class fun to take. Make sure you go to his office hours, he is totally willing to help and get to know you. Its possible that you might have missed something during class because he talks really fast. There is a ton of info in this class so if you are looking for a super easy GE this isnt it. But seriously you are in college now so GEs are not supposed to be easy. I know you are used to classes being easy business majors, but thats not real life. This class IS about evolution so GET OVER IT. It's good to see other sides of the story, you might learn something.

Sophomore
N/A
General Ed
Nov 2012

He is very passionate about his work and that's fantastic, but it does not help us (students) learn the material. He, as many others here have stated, is very spastic and tends to change subjects a lot. When taking his class he would even tell us to "scratch everything [he] just said", sometimes being 30-min worth of information. About the same thing. There is just too much information. Just goes to show that you can't always pick a class because you liked how it looked in PASS.

Freshman
B
Required (Support)
May 2013

Garcia was a very fun professor, he was clearly passionate about his material. He's a bit of a motormouth in lecture and will just straight up talk for over an hour, but he is full of information. And the good thing is you don't really have to take notes since he provides the lecture notes for you, in addition to providing study guides. His exams aren't too difficult, especially since he doesn't stray from the content on the study guides he gave you. You'll have a good time in his class, not difficult to do well!

Freshman
B
General Ed
Apr 2014

Professor Garcia is very passionate about what he teaches. It is obvious he loves what he does and he does his best to present the material. This class is in general super weird and random (geo 203 is the study of fossils) but he throws in funny comments about dinosaurs and interesting information that makes the class not bad at all. He likes his students and will remember who you are, which is nice because a lot of professors don't care who you are at all. He is honest that he doesn't always know all the material and will do additional research and make corrections when he teaches something incorrectly. I highly recommend taking any class by him because he will make you enjoy the class... even if you didn't even want to take it in the first place.

PHYS 203

Junior
B
General Ed
Nov 2010

This guy i a hippie idiot. He tries to turn the whole class into his time to talk about what he thinks of the world. The material is immense and the only chance you have is to mindlessly memorize all of it. You might see him riding his bike around campus. Be sure to give him the finger. Not a good GE avoid at all costs and if you can\'t don\'t get behind

HNRS 230

Sophomore
B
Elective
Nov 2016

Fuck this guy. Id like to stick my tounge up his ass.

GEOL 241

Junior
A
Required (Major)
Nov 2004

Tony is a great professor! It may not seem like it when you first start the class (whether it be Geol 201, Geol 203, Geol 241, etc), though. He appears disorganized and does not always seem to know what he's talking about - but he does. In the Geol 241 lab, there was a lot of time to get Tony's opinion and hear exactly what he wanted the class to know. It was interesting to hear about his research in Spain, too. (He likes to talk about it so ask him!) He's very knowledgable and very easy to talk to. If you're confused about a topic, don't be afraid to go up and ask him questions - he'll take that into consideration for your grade. Take a class with Tony!

GEOL 250

5th Year Senior
B
Required (Support)
May 2006

He's got a great personality, but ultimately needs to chill out in order to effectively, concisely and clearly present the material. Prepare to take notes and organize his random thoughts into a logical sequence on your own. This guy just simply does not do a good job of preparing the material in a clear fashion and will repeatedly force you to keep him on track which I think is unprofessional. On the other hand, he is a one-man geology department in all practical terms and does well if you are considering all that he has taken on. As a student focusing on one aspect of his work, the extent of his unorganized-chaotic style can be largely frustrating, but he is a sweetheart and a genuine joy to spend time with.

GEOL 323

Senior
A
Required (Major)
Dec 2012

Tony is the best! He is one of the most helpful, caring professors I've ever had. Sure, he can jump around a bit and he speaks quickly, but he's great in the field and knows about everything. Take him!

SS 323

Junior
N/A
Required (Major)
Jun 2007

Tony comes across as somewhat arrogant and scatterbrained at first. however, he really is very smart, and it's just because he's SO enthusiastic that he seems to jump around so much. He has so many thoughts about things that they just come spilling out, sometimes to the point where he has to remind himself to slow down. If you don't understand something, go to his office hours and he'll help you out. He also is awesome when you are actually out in the field. The Mono Basin trip is really, really good. The others are semi annoying because you drive for hours, get out for 10 minutes, turn around and drive home. (Also, don't get in his van if high speed swervy driving scares you..go with the other driver if possible) But he does not require you to take tons of notes in the vans or anything like that. The papers are graded hard, and you must pick up on his terminology in order to get good grades. NO late work is accepted, ever, even if your computer dies, even if you have a funeral to attend. Get your stuff done early, and be prepared to work hard. He's a great guy, and really wants people to be excited about the subject.

GEOL 401

5th Year Senior
B
Required (Major)
Apr 2008

To the people whining because they studied and got D's. Tony is NOT a "shithead" or an "asshole" for giving you a D. I've gotten D's in several of his classes, and it boils down to the fact that I didn't study as hard as I should have, I didn't go into his office hours, and I didn't put in the effort to get the writing style for his reports down. Once I did all of those things, my grades in his class went up significantly.
Do not take one of his classes expecting to float by. It is A LOT of work. however, you will be rewarded. Tony is a smart guy, and he knows his stuff. He genuinely cares about students, and tries very hard to do his best teaching. He is kindhearted, he just does not take crap from students. He does not let cheaters get away with their bs either. Do the work and you'll get the grades! Go into his office hours if you need help! He also replies to emails FAST and is always willing to answer questions. The reason lectures seem so rushed is because he has a lot of material to cover, and honestly, I don't think he likes having to stand up in front of people and lecture for hours. He really is at his best in the fieldwork portions.

GEOL 606

5th Year Senior
N/A
General Ed
Apr 2005

I am going to paraphrase half the comments written here: "Dr. Garcia sucks because I studied hard and only got a D". Um, hello, if you actually studied as hard as you claim, why did you only get a D? Why are people so unwilling to face up to their own mental and studying deficiencies and so ready to blame it all on the professor? Do you really think that, in college, you should be rewarded for effort rather than performance? This isn't the Special Olympics where everyone gets a medal! If you haven't already, maybe now's the time to consider changing your major to business where the expectations aren't so taxing for you. XYZ

Sophomore
N/A
General Ed
Apr 2005

I AM GOING TO COMMENT ON THE PERSON THAT IS BELOW ME, IF YOU ARE A 5TH/6TH YEAR SENIOR THAT TELLS YOU SOMETHING, YOU ARE BEHING AND THAT WHAT IT HURTS YOU

5th Year Senior
N/A
Required (Major)
Apr 2005

To the redfaced shrike below: Oh my god, that has to be the funniest comment I've yet read on Polyratings. Your own butchered syntax nullifies everything you've written, but I wanted to write and tell you that a whole room full of students are laughing their asses off right now. At you.